Story ideas come easy to some, but to others, it feels like the world is boring. Changing your perspective when looking at things surrounding you can help you find story ideas you would have never thought about before. 

I grew up near a small town. Everyone knew each other and their business. Even before you knew your own business, the town knew. That made coming up with stories even harder. When I changed my perspective on the way I viewed the town, it helped me see stories that would interest people more than the Sunday gossip.

I started taking what I heard, whether it was about Main Street closing for a week or about the superintendent’s birthday, and thinking about what I could learn about this topic. Why is Main Street closing? How will I get to school? Will I be able to go to the bank that is only accessible on Main? These are all questions that I had, so it is safe to assume others could have them, too. Writing a story about what to do when the street is closed helps others in their daily lives. 

On the other hand, you might not think someone’s birthday is newsworthy, but this is an opportunity to learn a little more about your superintendent. Maybe you want to know why they chose to be in education. What are their goals for the school? Why did they choose your school? These are all things your school community could benefit from knowing. It also would give the superintendent a chance to share more about their background and vision for the school. 

These are just two examples of changing your perspective. I encourage you to find three things that you could change your lens on and see what stories come to you!

Tori Chester is a graduate of the Master of Mass Communication program at South Dakota State University. She produced this content as part of her final project.